Month: January 2026

NUJ mourns Yakubu Mohammed, Co-Founder of Newswatch Magazine

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has expressed deep sorrow over the death of Mr. Yakubu Mohammed, a renowned journalist and co-founder of the iconic Newswatch magazine. In a condolence statement issued on Wednesday, the NUJ President, Comrade Alhassan Yahya, said the union received the news of Mohammed’s passing with profound sadness, describing him as a towering figure whose courage and professionalism helped shape modern journalism in Nigeria. Comrade Yahya noted that as a co-founder of Newswatch magazine, the late Mohammed played a historic role in entrenching editorial independence, rigorous…

38 Regular Course Association Executive Committee pays courtesy visit on Chief of Naval Staff

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Executive Committee members of the 38 Regular Course Association on Tuesday paid a courtesy visit to the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Idi Abbas (Admiralty Medal), at the Naval Headquarters, Abuja. The delegation was led by the President of the Association, Rear Admiral S. O. Agada (rtd), who congratulated Vice Admiral Abbas on his appointment as Chief of the Naval Staff. He also formally informed the CNS of the Association’s recent change in leadership. Rear Admiral Agada stated that the visit was to express the Association’s…

Nigerian Army begins construction of new Training Depot in Ebonyi

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Nigerian Army has commenced the construction of an additional training depot at Amasiri-Edda in Afikpo and Edda Local Government Areas of Ebonyi State, as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture and expand military training capacity nationwide. The groundbreaking ceremony, held on Tuesday, 13 January 2026, was performed by the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State, Dr (Builder) Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru. The project followed a directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, aimed at ensuring equitable distribution of military infrastructure across the country. Governor Nwifuru…

Insecurity: Niger Govt gives two-month notice for resettlement of Kainji Lake hamlets

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Niger State Government has issued a two-month ultimatum to residents of hamlets located around Kainji Lake to vacate the area for resettlement, as part of a broader security operation aimed at flushing out criminal elements. Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago gave the directive on Tuesday during a condolence visit to the Emir of Borgu, Alhaji Muhammad Haliru Dantoro Kitoro IV, at his palace in New Bussa, following a recent terrorist attack in the Emirate. The governor explained that the planned resettlement, to be coordinated by the Emirate Council, had become…

BREAKING: Bandits release 17 more abducted ECWA church worshippers in Kogi

Emporium Reporters

Bandits have released 17 additional worshippers abducted from the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) in Aiyetoro Kiri Bunu, Kogi State, following sustained negotiations and the payment of ransom. The latest release came after weeks of engagement involving the abductors, families of the victims, and the Aiyetoro Kiri Bunu Development Association, which has been coordinating community efforts to secure the freedom of those held captive. Reports indicated that the Kogi State Government was not involved in the negotiations or the releases recorded so far. The worshippers were abducted on Sunday, December…

MURIC demands FG action as 47,000 Ex-PHCN workers remain unpaid since 2013

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on the Federal Government to urgently intervene in the prolonged non-payment of benefits owed to 47,000 disengaged workers of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN). In a statement issued on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, MURIC’s Founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, described the affected workers as victims of Nigeria’s poor reward and labour justice system, lamenting that their entitlements have remained unpaid for over a decade. According to Akintola, the former PHCN staff, writing under the platform of the United…

JAMB announces registration Dates, Fees, Exam Schedule for 2026 UTME, Direct Entry

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the commencement of the sale of application documents for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE) admissions for the 2026/2027 academic session. The announcement was contained in a photostatement signed by JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, and shared on the Board’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday night. According to JAMB, applications are now open to suitably qualified candidates seeking admission into tertiary institutions across Nigeria for the 2026/27 academic year. Age Requirement, Underage Candidates The…

FG sets up Technical committee to drive reliable power in health facilities

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Federal Government has inaugurated a 24-member Inter-Agency Technical Committee (IATC) to spearhead the implementation of the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative (NPHI), a flagship programme designed to guarantee reliable and sustainable electricity supply to health facilities across the country. The initiative target achieving at least 30 per cent renewable-powered healthcare delivery nationwide by the end of 2027, as part of broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s health system and improve service delivery. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony on Tuesday in Abuja, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare,…

NITDA DG restates commitment to stronger Nigeria–U.S. collaboration on Data Privacy, AI, Cybersecurity

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to deepening collaboration with the United States in building a secure, trusted and resilient digital ecosystem, with emphasis on data privacy, artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity and capacity building. Inuwa stated this while delivering an address at the Nigeria Data Privacy Capacity Building Workshop organised by the United States Department of State in collaboration with the Nigerian Mission and other key stakeholders in the digital ecosystem. Describing the workshop as a reaffirmation of…

FG honours Army Chief, Veterans at 2026 Armed Forces Celebration and Remembrance Awards

Lukman Laleye Babalola

The Federal Government has honoured serving personnel and veterans of the Nigerian Army for gallantry, sacrifice, innovation and exemplary leadership at the 2026 Armed Forces Celebration and Remembrance Day (AFCRD) Awards Ceremony in Abuja. The awards were presented on Tuesday at the AFCRD Gala Night held at the Banquet Hall, State House, where senior military officers, veterans and government officials gathered to celebrate outstanding service to the nation. Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, was among the top recipients, received the Service and Sacrifice Award for his…